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Draft Pick Profile - Kyle Capobianco

by
Staff Writer
/ Arizona Coyotes

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Coyotes added nine prospects to the mix at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft in Sunrise, Fla. Follow along as ArizonaCoyotes.com profiles all nine draft picks. Today's featured player is defenseman Kyle Capobianco.

Capobianco lists Coyotes All-Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson as his favorite NHL player. In 2014-15, his second season with Sudbury, Capobianco shared the team lead with 30 assists and tied for second with 40 points. He was named an alternate captain in November and the team MVP at the end of the season.

The Stats:

• Capobianco won bronze with Canada at the 2015 Under-18 World Junior Championship and also represented Team Ontario at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

• The Wolves chose Capobianco with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection after he collected six points (2-4—6) in seven games to help the Oakville Rangers Minor Midget AAA team win the OHL Cup.

Kyle Capobianco. Photo by Marissa O'Connor.

The Quotes:

"You never know when you're going to get called; it's Draft Day right? It's definitely a relief." -- Kyle Capobianco

"I like to be an offensive defenseman but I'm not a high-risk, high-reward kind of guy. I think I'm a pretty good skater." -- Kyle Capobianco

"I just want to take it year by year. I definitely need to get stronger and put on some weight. And I think I can always get faster. The game has developed to be a quick game built around speed and I think that's something I need to work on." -- Kyle Capobianco

"He’s a smooth-skating and smart defenseman. We like his head and we like his legs. It’s been hard to get defensemen in the last couple of drafts. There hasn’t been a ton available. So we targeted Kyle and we were happy to get him when we did." -- Coyotes Director of Amateur Scouting Tim Bernhardt.

• Capobianco's uncle, former professional goaltender Randy Exelby, lives in Arizona and owns Behind the Mask hockey shops. Capobianco has visited the state several times. Exelby played in two NHL games for the Montreal Canadiens (1988-89) and Edmonton Oilers (1989-90).

• Capobianco's brother, Tony, backstopped Canisius College to consecutive Atlantic Hockey championship games in 2013 and 2014 – winning the former – during his four seasons of NCAA Division 1 hockey.